Essex was originally home to a rail yard for the Great Northern Railway. The historic Izaak Walton Inn was built next to this yard in 1939 to house railroad personnel and snow removal crews. Despite a campaign for the inn to serve as an entrance to Glacier Park between East and West Glacier, the plan was not adopted.

As a result, the inn appears to be a huge structure in the middle of the wilderness. Today, it is a popular year-round stop for visitors, especially railroad buffs and cross country skiers.

Amtrak installed a 190 foot long concrete platform with tactile edging at Essex in late 2010. The approximately $416,000 project included the platform, railing, passenger/vehicle loading ramp, lighting, signage and a hydronic snow melting system.

Amtrak does not provide ticketing or baggage services at this station, which is served by two daily trains.

Amtrak established the Great American Stations Project in 2006 to educate communities on the benefits of redeveloping train stations, offer tools to community leaders to preserve their stations, and provide the appropriate Amtrak resources.

Amtrak is America’s Railroad®, the nation’s intercity passenger rail service and its high-speed rail operator. More than 31.7 million passengers traveled on Amtrak in FY 2017 on more than 300 daily trains that connect 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian Provinces. Choose the smarter way to travel at Amtrak.com or call 800-USA-RAIL for schedules, fares and more information.